Tyr's Hand
Once this ancient city was the third largest city in all of the old Kingdom of Lordaeron; however, following the ravages of the Third War and the pestilence of the Scourge this city was all that remained. With its recapture by the Lordaeron Temple Knights and Argent Crusade, Tyr's Hand has become the primary bastion for humanity on the continent by its emergence of the capital city for New Lordaeron. Geography and Climate Tyr's Hand is situated in the middle of a mountain passage that divides the South Amani Range of mountains. On the west side of the valley is the vast Darrowmere Forest and on the east side are the rolling highlands of the Havenshire Borough. The the north is the steep snow capped mountain known to the Mossflayer troll tribe as "Zeb'Aswani" or "Tyr's Reach" for humans. A stream runs from the mountain year round and deposits into the mountain lake of Thantyrian which has been used to supply the city during past sieges. Climate and Vegetation Temperatures in Tyr's Hand typically insure that summers are brief with cool breezes coming from the oceans and the winters are longer with sharp chills coming down from the north mountains to sweep over the city---leading many of the citizens taking to wear a scarf over their faces for half the year. As with most of Lordaeron, snow can be expected each year yet the melting begins in the middle of First Winter rather than at the start of Spring---which is the case for the Stratholme or Hearthglen Provinces. ' ' Vegetation is predominantly conferious which is why artistic depictions of Lordaeron in winter show vast swaths of greenery. Lordaeron Pine is more than a fragrance, it is the common tree to the northern provinces and it's evergreen needles retain their color through every season save for Autumn with the outermost layer is shed and regrow within weeks. The pine remains the most noticeable item of Tyr's Hand city beautification, sometimes they are taken from the ground in Tyr's Fiefs and replanted along the streets or parks in the prestigeous quarters and main streets. History Recorded history shows that Tyr's Hand was founded in 530 BAC when the Kingdom of Lordaeron began a rapid eastward expansion into the Darrowmere Forests. It was the king's intent to stake a claim to the primary mountain pass to the east coast before the high elves or Amani trolls could move in. Only twenty years prior did Captain Ren Tossas from Lordaeron's frontier town of Brow(modern Browdale) led a force of militiamen through the mountain pass and forced the Revantusk trolls to flee southwards. A committee of colonists from Hearthglen approached the king of Lordaeron and requested a charter for settlement in Darrowmere Forest. The king granted their request assigned them the plot of land on what would one day be known as the Tyr's Hand Acropolis. The journey through the Darrowmere wilderness took nearly a month as the colonists traveled on unfamiliar routes, muddy roads, and more often than not no roads at all. When they arrived, only 300 of the original 385 had survived. The leaders of the expedition were clerics from Hearthglen that belonged to a fringe monastic order known as the Order of the Silver Day. It was they who named the colony Tyr's Haven. A winter set in, the colonists hurriedly built a public meeting hall, chapel, and several cottages to wait out bitter cold and snow of the Lordaeron winter. The clerics' leader, Draedorius, managed to hold the community together until the snow melted and planting could begin. Tyr's Haven quickly found itself a frequented stop for traders moving between Browdale and Stratholme to Avalon (future New Avalon) or for colonists making the why to newly chartered settlements in the region that was beginning to be called Havenshire. Royal census records held in Tyr's Hand, and thus spared destruction during the Third War, record that Tyr's Haven held a population of 1200 people in Year 475 BAC and then at 2700 in 425 BAC. Records of the city's history show that by 425 the Acropolis had become walled off with a monastery built upon it for the Order of the Silver Day. By 400, the entire city had been fortified by a low stone wall; however, it only encompassed one third of modern Tyr's Hand. Construction began on the Grand Basilica of Tyr's Hand (presently called the Truefaith Cathedral) around 389 BAC when the Church of the Holy Light began to grow concerned about the Silver Day movement. It was the Archbishop's hope that a grand structure to glorify the Light would weaken the Silver Day's hold on the populace. In 385 BAC, the Basilica was completed and in the course of a decade the Order of the Silver Day had disappeared and their old monastery was converted into a governor's palace. Between Years 260 BAC to 210 BAC, Tyr's Hand under went a period of massive growth once Tyr's Bay had been constructed and the city rested on the major trading route between the highways of Via Prosperitatis and Tyr's Way. During the time, the city walls where extended to stretch from one side of the mountain pass to the other on both the east and west sides. With the population at nearly 8000, massive public work projects were undertaken which included large tenements to house the people, aqueducts, sewers, hospitals, schools, parks, and so on. The large clocktower of City Hall and the Adrius Library were all built during this time. It was during Lordaeron's succession crisis of 177 BAC when Tyr's Palace was built atop the Acropolis. One of the recently deceased king's sons fled to Tyr's Hand after a failed coup to overthrow his brother. After a year in exile, an agreement was reached between the two brothers in which the one in Tyr's Hand would be named Duke of the Tyr's Hand Duchy which would act as a semi-autonomous state. The first and only Duke of Tyr's Hand ordered the Palace's construction, but would die before its completion in 164 BAC. Once the Duke of Tyr's Hand died with no heir, his brother resorbed the Duchy into the Kingdom. As for the Palace, it was made the civil and military headquarters for the southeastern quarter of the Darrowmere Forests. Little would transpire in Tyr's Hand until Year 65 BAC besides a fluctuating population and the extension of their walls to incorporate the current Market District. In Year 64 BAC, Tyr's Hand was the focal point for the Westland Plague. The Westland Plague emerged somewhere in the Darrowmere Forest two years earlier. At first the disease had been contained to a single village but a few months later three other villages had to be quarantined. After a year of relative calm, citizens of Tyr's Hand had been infected and within weeks half of the population was ill. Those going in and out of the city carried the sickness to the surrounding villages and cities. By Year 62 BAC, the plague had run its course, leaving tens of thousands dead and more bearing physical and mental scars. Nearly, one quarter of The city's population had died and another quarter had dispersed throughout the countryside in a vain attempt to escape the affliction. In the course of the next decade, the residents would be on edge every time they heard a rumor of plagues or epidemics. Records show that the change in the city's name from Tyr's Haven to Tyr's Hand was gradual. Reports from Capital City referred to it as Tyr's Hand for the first time in 413 BAC; whereas, local census documents continued to call it Tyr's Haven until 369 BAC. Historians believe that the administration in Capital City classified the region as Tyr's Hand and simply referred to the city by that same name. Church historians have suggested that the name Tyr's Hand was introduced by the Order of the Silver Day and used this name in their correspondence with the Archbishop; thereby, leading to some confusion among the western bureaucrats. Politics Economics Social Culture Religion Food Festivals - *(Inofficial) The Day of Coronation *(inofficial) King's Birthday / Menithil Birthday *Day of Spring Solstice / Noblegarden, on the 18th day of Spring *Midsummer, on the 49th day of Summer *Day of Autumn Soltice / Wickerman's Festival, on the 83rd day of Autumn Category:Places Category:New Lordaeron